The MLB Draft only goes back to 1965, and the MLB Draft is a bit different from other sports. Most of these kids were taken out of high school or at least the first year of college. You also don’t have the Minor Leagues in other sports which in baseball you have to battle through to even see the Major Leagues. Being selected first overall meant you had a good chance of making it to the majors, whether you actually thrived in the Minor Leagues or not. Less than 15% of these first round picks ended up never seeing the bigs. That is a pretty good number.
Contents
2019: Adley Rutschman
Baltimore Orioles
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Oregon State
21
Junior
C
6'2
216
2018: Casey Mize
Detroit Tigers
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Auburn
20
Junior
SP
6'3
220 lbs
2017: Royce Lewis
Minnesota Twins
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Jserra Catholic High School
18
N/A
SS
6'2
188 lbs
2016: Mickey Moniak
Philadelphia Phillies
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
La Costa Canyon HS
18
N/A
OF
6'2
185 lbs
2015: Dansby Swanson
Arizona Diamondbacks
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Vanderbilt
21
Junior
SS
6'1
190 lbs
2014: Brady Aiken
Houston Astros
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Cathedral Catholic HS
18
N/A
SP
6'4
205 lbs
2013: Mark Appel
Houston Astros
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Stanford
21
Senior
SP
6'5
220 lbs
2012: Carlos Correa
Houston Astros
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Stanford
17
N/A
SS
6'4
215 lbs
2011: Gerrit Cole
Pittsburgh Pirates
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
UCLA
21
Junior
SP
6'4
225 lbs
2010: Bryce Harper
Washington Nationals
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
College of Southern Nevada
18
Freshman
OF
6'3
220 lbs
2009: Stephen Strasburg
Washington Nationals
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
San Diego State
21
Junior
SP
6'5
235 lbs
2008: Tim Beckham
Tampa Bay Rays
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Griffin HS
18
N/A
SS
6'1
205 lbs
2007: David Price
Tampa Bay Rays
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Vanderbilt
21
Junior
SP
6'5
215 lbs
2006: Luke Hochevar
Kansas City Royals
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Tennessee
21
Junior
SP
6'5
225 lbs
2005: Justin Upton
Arizona Diamondbacks
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Great Bridge HS
18
N/A
SS
6'1
215 lbs
2004: Matt Bush
San Diego Padres
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Mission Bay HS
18
N/A
SS
5'9
180 lbs
2003: Delmon Young
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Adolfo Camarillo HS
18
N/A
OF
6'3
240 lbs
2002: Bryan Bullington
Pittsburgh Pirates
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Ball State
22
Junior
SP
6'4
210 lbs
2001: Joe Mauer
Minnesota Twins
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Cretin HS
18
N/A
C
6'5
225 lbs
2000: Adrian Gonzalez
Florida Marlins
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Eastlake HS
18
N/A
1B
6'2
215 lbs
1999: Josh Hamilton
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Athens Drive HS
18
N/A
OF
6'4
240 lbs
1998: Pat Burrell
Philadelphia Phillies
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Miami
22
Junior
1B
6'4
235 lbs
1997: Matt Anderson
Detroit Tigers
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Rice
20
Junior
SP
6'4
200 lbs
1996: Kris Benson
Pittsburgh Pirates
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Clemson
22
Junior
SP
6'4
190 lbs
1995: Darin Erstad
California Angels
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Nebraska
22
Junior
OF
6'2
195 lbs
1994: Paul Wilson
New York Mets
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Florida State
21
Junior
SP
6'5
235 lbs
1993: Alex Rodriguez
Seattle Mariners
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Westminster Christian
18
N/A
SS
6'3
230 lbs
1992: Phil Nevin
Houston Astros
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Cal State Fullerton
22
Junior
3B
6'2
180 lbs
1991: Brien Taylor
New York Yankees
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
East Carteret HS
18
N/A
SP
6'3
220 lbs
1990: Chipper Jones
Atlanta Braves
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
The Bolles School
18
N/A
3B
6'4
210 lbs
1989: Ben McDonald
Baltimore Orioles
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
LSU
21
Junior
SP
6'7
212 lbs
1988: Andy Benes
San Diego Padres
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Evansville
21
Junior
SP
6'6
235 lbs
1987: Ken Griffey Jr.
Seattle Mariners
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Archbishop Moeller HS
18
N/A
OF
6'3
195 lbs
1986: Jeff King
Pittsburgh Pirates
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Arkansas
21
Junior
INF
6'1
175 lbs
1985: B.J. Surhoof
Milwaukee Brewers
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
North Carolina
20
Junior
SS
6'1
200 lbs
1984: Shawn Abner
New York Mets
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Mechanicsburg Area HS
18
N/A
OF
6'1
190 lbs
1983: Tim Belcher
Minnesota Twins
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
22
N/A
SP
6'3
210 lbs
1982: Shawon Dunston
Chicago Cubs
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Thomas Jefferson HS
19
N/A
SS
6'1
180 lbs
1981: Mike Moore
Seattle Mariners
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Oral Roberts
21
Junior
SP
6'4
205 lbs
1980: Darryl Strawberry
New York Mets
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Crenshaw HS
18
N/A
OF
6'6
190 lbs
1979: Al Chambers
Seattle Mariners
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
John Harris HS
18
N/A
OF
6'4
217 lbs
1978: Bob Horner
Atlanta Braves
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Arizona State
20
Junior
3B
6'1
195 lbs
1977: Harold Baines
Chicago White Sox
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
St. Michael's HS
18
N/A
OF
6'2
175 lbs
1976: Floyd Bannister
Houston Astros
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Arizona State
21
Junior
SP
6'1
190 lbs
1975: Danny Goodwin
California Angels
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Southern University
21
Junior
1B
6'1
195 lbs
1974: Bill Almon
San Diego Padres
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Brown
21
Junior
SS
6'3
190 lbs
1973: David Clyde
Texas Rangers
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Westchester HS
18
N/A
SP
6'1
185 lbs
1972: Dave Roberts
San Diego Padres
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Oregon
21
Junior
3B
6'3
215 lbs
1971: Danny Goodwin
Chicago White Sox
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Southern University
21
Junior
1B
6'1
195 lbs
1970: Mike Ivie
San Diego Padres
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Walker HS
18
N/A
C
6'3
205 lbs
1969: Jeff Burroughs
Washington Senators
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Woodrow Wilson HS
18
N/A
OF
6'1
200 lbs
1968: Tim Foli
New York Mets
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Notre Dame HS
18
N/A
SS
6'0
179 lbs
1967: Ron Blomberg
New York Yankees
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Druid Hills HS
18
N/A
1B
6'1
195 lbs
1966: Steve Chilcott
New York Mets
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Antelope Valley HS
18
N/A
1B
5'11
185 lbs
1965: Rick Monday
Kansas City Athletics
School
Age
Year
Position
Height
Weight
Arizona State
19
Junior
OF
6'3
193 lbs
Hall of Fame First Overall Picks
Most first overall picks will reach the majors, but very few will go onto deliver the careers that these names have had. Ken Griffey Jr. was drafted first overall back in 1987. We was going to high school in Cincinnati, where he would play for half his career after the Mariners. Seattle was lucky to land an all-time great. He finished third in the Rookie of the Year voting that season, hitting .264 with 16 HR. Griffey began to really take off over the next few years, churning out MVP finishes and Gold Glove awards. He ended up being a 13-time all-start and had ten Gold Glove awards. Griffey will go down as one of the greatest, and his career post 30 was very injury prone, otherwise he might be topping some records.
Alex Rodriguez isn’t in the Hall of Fame, and it would be a surprise if he was given the tarnished career because of steroids. Still, he put up Hall of Fame numbers, and is another tremendous number one overall pick. He finished with 696 career home runs, and over 2,000 RBI. Rodriguez was a unique talent with huge power, but also had over 3,000 hits. He was a three-time MVP and was a World Series winner back in 2009. Chipper Jones went first overall back in 1990. He hit .303 in his career, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame just recently in 2018. Jones was an eight-time all-star, and also played his entire career with the Atlanta Braves. Talk about hitting on an investment. Harold Baines was also a Hall of Famer, who was drafted first in 1977.
First Overall Busts
Tim Beckham was one of the more recent busts, but he still finds himself playing in the MLB, and also still being of service. It might have been partially the hype around him, but he was a highly touted shortstop who flopped in Tampa Bay. He had elite athleticism, but struggled defensively. Beckham also ran into drug problems early in his career. This was the case for a few others, as Daryl Strawberry and Josh Hamilton both had issues off the field. Staying with the Rays, Delmon Young was drafted in 2003. He struggled to get anything going in the majors, and was notably suspended after hitting an umpire with a bat.
Shawn Abner was passed around the majors like a hot dog at a baseball game. He struggled to get anything going wherever he went, and was drafted in 1984. He finished with just 13 HR and a .227 batting average. It was harder to take because the Mets could have drafted Greg Maddux or Tom Glavine who went later on. In more recent years, Mark Appel was drafted in 2013 after being drafted 8th by Pittsburgh the year before. He was traded shortly after to the Phillies, where he ended up retiring after failing to reach the majors.
Notable Names
You will recognize some of the recent draft picks that went number one overall. Washington had back-to-back number one picks, and hit on them both. Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg both have lived up to the hype so far. Harper is now in Philadelphia, so Strasburg has been there long term. Joe Mauer and Adrian Gonzalez both have had strong careers. Mauer won three batting titles, while Gonzalez has racked up over 2,000 hits. David Price and Justin Upton have both put together quality careers, and Price is now a World Series winner. Carlos Correa has developed into an above average shortstop after being drafted in 2012 by Houston. Gerrit Cole was a stud coming out of college, and delivered in Pittsburgh before slowing down a bit. His move to Houston has revamped his career into a true ace.
Jason Guilbault has been writing and podcasting in the fantasy sports world for over five years. You can find his work at Daily Fantasy Cafe. He is an avid Tottenham fan, and follows the Boston sports teams. When he isn’t diving into stats, he is enjoying the outdoors or down at the local brewery.
